Ten new Marietta police department employees — unarmed and non-sworn — will start doing police work as soon as this fall.
The Marietta City Council unanimously approved at its Wednesday meeting funding the $700,000 program to hire them, according to a city spokeswoman. Most of the money will come from the city's Board of Lights and Water.
That money for the Public Safety Ambassador program will fund not only their pay, but also training them for “low-risk” police service calls, and providing them with department vehicles.
The department described the new employees in a news release as akin to paralegals, physician’s assistants or paraprofessionals in the classroom.
The PSAs are not allowed to arrest or even detain suspects, write citations or use force other than in self-defense, department officials said.
They will do “non-dangerous” policing tasks like direct traffic, file reports for lost or found property and assist with disabled or abandoned vehicles.
Employing the ambassadors to handle lower-level crimes gives sworn officers extra time to handle more severe cases.
And if you’d rather have an officer help, “there will be no push-back” and an sworn officer will head over, the department said.
“We plan to hire PSAs who reflect the demographics of our city, and have articulate oral and written communications skills,” Chief Dan Flynn said in the release.
Expect to see them at parks, schools and special events, the cops said.
“Like our police officers, we want them to have positive people-friendly interpersonal skills so they can build on confidence in the police,” Flynn said.
They will report to patrol supervisors, who will assign and deploy them wherever needed.
“It is our sincere hope that the Marietta community accepts PSAs in the spirit in which they are intended; to continue to improve public safety services and quality of life in Marietta,” Flynn said.
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